RALEIGH – A ‘story’ this week emerged when National Review covered leaked audio capturing North Carolina state Senator Jeff Jackson (D-Mecklenburg) blasting U.S. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for his slash and burn ultimatum regarding Jackson’s aspirant challenge of Thom Tillis.
We brought it to your attention here, but North Carolina conservative personality Pete Kaliner has noticed that the mainstream media’s coverage is changing what the ‘story’ really is in a very familiar way. This is by design, Kaliner writes, because a story can never really be about them unless it’s all rainbows and unicorns.
“If you ever want to understand why North Carolina conservatives and Republicans view almost every reporter in the state capitol press corps as Democrats with bylines, look no further than this article by Colin Campbell at the News & Observer.
The headline is “Democrat says Chuck Schumer told him to spend campaign in ‘windowless basement’.” It’s a story – first reported by National Review – based on comments made by state Senator Jeff Jackson to a class at UNC-Charlotte:
“Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer has taken a heavy-handed, top-down approach to selecting Democrats to challenge vulnerable Senate Republicans this cycle, putting his thumb on the scale for candidates willing to shun grassroots outreach in favor of a smile-and-dial, fundraising-first approach, according to an audio recording obtained exclusively by National Review.
‘The Story’ is Jackson’s story.
‘The Story’ is about strategy used in the primary and general elections by Democratic candidates seeking to unseat Republican incumbent Thom Tillis.
‘The Story’ is about what role New York Sen. Chuck Schumer is playing in the NC race.
National Review’s writer, Jack Crowe, recognized this and focused on the two Democratic candidates in the race (one of whom appears to be taking Sen. Schumer’s advice).
But here is how the News & Observer led it’s telling of the story:
“North Carolina Republicans seized Monday on a leaked recording of state Sen. Jeff Jackson, D-Mecklenburg, explaining that U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wanted him to spend most of his time “in a windowless basement” making fundraising calls if he ran for Thom Tillis’ Senate seat.
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